11.6M worth of ‘shabu’ seized in buy-bust

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The community lockdowns against COVID-19 did not discourage suspected drug peddlers from their business.

But it also did distract cops from their trail.

An estimated P11.6 million worth of suspected shabu or crystal meth was seized from a couple after a buy-bust at Barangay Singcang-Airport here Thursday.

The operation led to the arrest of Joy Diamante, 18; and her partner Rafael Cantuar, 23, both residents of Barangay Banago here.

Police Colonel Henry Biñas, Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) director, said both suspects are considered high value targets with the confiscation of about 1,055 grams of suspected shabu from them.

Joint operatives of the Regional Drug Enforcement Unit (RDEU), along with the Special Operation Unit of Police Drug Enforcement Group (PDEG), and City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) raided the couple’s apartment around 1:30 p.m.

Authorities recovered during the operation the P2,000 marked money, 212 sachets of suspected shabu, and P1,850 cash.

Biñas said the couple were placed under surveillance for several weeks before the operation.

Police had difficulty launching the operation against the suspects because they would transfer from one place to another within the city, he added.

Biñas said that Diamante serves as “bodegero” or keeper of the contraband supplied by an unidentified source outside the city.

The couple will be charged for the sale and illegal possession of dangerous drugs, and conspiracy. They are detained at Police Station 8.

The suspects denied the allegations against them. According to Diamante, they were just asked by someone to tend to the items.

Meanwhile, Police Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan, director of Police Regional Office -6 lauded the successful drug operation by the teams amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

The recent accomplishment was the biggest drug haul of Bacolod, despite the ongoing global health crisis.